Budget-conscious consumers flock to convenience stores for lunch

[waves_of_light]

A 34-year-old office worker surnamed Kim said he does not have many choices for lunch these days as it costs at least 10,000 won ($7.5) to eat at a restaurant

Comments

[pepsi_twist9]

Does anyone know if groceries are really expensive? Is this a time saving concern as well cause cooking takes a long time when you don't have time or is it like an American food dessert where fast food is just cheaper than fresh produce?

[chibi_rei]

I couldn't tell you about right now, but I lived in Korea for a few years until 2018 andI feel like I did have to be mindful of prices. Fruit is pretty expensive though veggies are usually fine, so I rarely bought much fruit. Sometimes meats were expensive (beef always was).

I bought a lot of food/snacks from convenience stores because it was pretty cheap. Also they are open at literally all hours so it was really convenient.

[pepsi_twist9]

Huh, that's so interesting, I mean this would be motivation to be a vegetarian if fruits and meat is expensive. I'd probably over eat sweet stuff if I don't have fruits though.

[goshipgurl]

One of my favorite YouTubers recently moved back home to Europe but when she lived in Korea she used to film herself buying groceries. Compared to central Europe prices in Korea were really expensive, especially for meat and fruits.

[jasmineakaiumi]

I found buying groceries so expensive when living there that it ended up being cheaper to just eat things like a roll of kimbap or convenience store food for lunch instead of pre-cooking meals (you could get more affordable stuff, but getting any real variety in meals was difficult as someone who lived alone)
...and this was 5-10 years ago at this point, so I imagine it's only gotten worse

[pseudo_shigure]

it's interesting bc where i live convenience store meals (which is not offered a lot, esp after 7/11 left) is not that cheap compared to warung food/street vendor food. and in the case of non-cooking households like mine, we have homecooked meal service delivered on weekdays, which is also much cheaper. so, yeah, it's not popular here.

[xoxkenzxox]

convenience stores here tend to be a higher price than going to a supermarket. And our ready made food is like...taquitos or hot dogs. no thanks.

[nagi_schwarz]

ngl I saw the first quote and thought...damn. I should put my husband on a lunch allowance. Honestly he just takes a homemade lunch every day, and it's way cheaper. But he's also one of those health-conscious meal preppers, so he makes all his lunches himself and boxes them up and I just put them in a lunchbox for him. Simple and cheap.